KOTA KINABALU: Enforcement officers seized some 1,300 litres of subsidised petrol kept illegally at a storehouse in the east coast district of Sandakan.
In the operation on Wednesday (Oct 4), personnel from the Domestic Trade and Cost Of Living Ministry's Sandakan office also detained a local man believed to be involved.
Its Sandakan branch chief Azdy Zukkry John said they stormed the storehouse at Jalan Segaliud at 5.30pm thanks to a public tip-off.
“Besides the petrol, we also seized a three-tonne lorry and a host of equipment, all worth over RM50,000,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 5).
“The local suspect, in his 60s, was roped in for further probe under the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” he added.
He said the storehouse did not have a licence to keep controlled goods.
Azdy said the case was being investigated under Section 20(1) of the same Act for storing the goods at a location without proper approval from the authorities.
Under the Act, he explained, anyone found guilty will be liable to a maximum RM1mil fine, further fines of up to RM3mil for any subsequent offence, or three years imprisonment, or both.
As for companies, he said, those proven to have violated the law face a maximum fine of RM2mil and up to RM5mil for any subsequent offence.
Azdy warned that the ministry would not hesitate to take severe action against fuel station operators who sold subsidised petrol or diesel to ineligible customers.
He said the Sandakan office has handled 148 cases of various nature so far this year, involving seizures of items worth over RM2.6mil.
He said 80 cases involved action under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering 2011 Act, 51 under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and 17 under the Weight and Measures Act 2017.
